Hurricane Florence Resources

Our office is here to help assist recovery and rebuilding efforts in any way possible.  President Donald Trump designated a Major Disaster Declaration for North Carolina for the release of Federal funds to assist in the recovery from Hurricane Florence.  The following counties in the 7th District are eligible for both individual and public assistance -- Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, New Hanover, Pender, Sampson and Wayne counties.  Below is a summary of disaster assistance programs available to individuals and businesses following a disaster.  If you need assistance navigating these resources, please do not hesitate to call one of our offices.

Individual Disaster Assistance

1. I need immediate assistance.

• Emergency Shelter: Locate options by zip code by visiting the American Red Cross, or Salvation Army, or by texting SHELTER and your zip code (for example, “SHELTER 01234”) to 4FEMA (43362). (Standard text message rates apply.)  You can also view a list of 7th District shelters by clicking here.

2. I need financial assistance.

There are several ways to see if you qualify for financial assistance:

• Use the address lookup on DisasterAssistance.gov to find out if you qualify for aid.
• Fill out the DisasterAssistance.gov questionnaire and online aid application.
• Call 1-800-621-3362; those who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.

Unemployment Disaster Assistance

The Department of Labor’s Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) program provides temporary benefits to people whose job or self-employment has been lost or interrupted due to a major disaster.  In the event of a disaster, the affected state will publish announcements about the availability of Disaster Unemployment Assistance.  As of the time of publishing this site, North Carolina has not made that announcement.  Please continue to monitor this site as information on filing a claim will be made available following an announcement.  For more information on Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), please click here.

Home or Property Damage

• Home/Primary Residence: FEMA provides housing assistance to individuals and families who have lost their homes as a result of a presidentially-declared disaster. If you are a renter or homeowner, you may qualify for assistance.  By law, FEMA assistance cannot duplicate the assistance you receive from your insurance company, but you may receive assistance for items not covered by insurance.  If your home was effected by a major disaster, we recommend that you apply for assistance here.

• If the roof of your home has been damaged: The U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers provides homeowners with fiber-reinforced plastic sheeting to cover their damaged roofs until arrangements can be made for permanent repairs. This is a free service to homeowners. Call 1-888-ROOF-BLU or visit one of these locations to get the Operation Blue Roof process started.  As of the time of publishing of this site, the Army Corps of Engineers is preparing to deploy emergency power teams and roofing teams to assist FEMA.  More information regarding these services will be posted as they are announced.  Please continue to monitor this site for updates.

Business Assistance

The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers low-interest loans for business damages.  Learn more about the business loan application process here.

The following counties are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA: Beaufort, Brunswick, Carteret, Craven, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico and Pender counties.

The following counties are eligible for to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Bladen, Columbus, Duplin, Hyde, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Pitt, Sampson and Washington counties.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via the SBA's secure website at DisasterLoan.sba.gov.  Additional details on the loan application process can be obtained by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

Other Federal Resources

How the IRS Can help with tax assistance:

• IRS has a special toll-free number (866-562-5227) for taxpayers with questions in federally-declared disaster areas.
• IRS can assist with reconstructing records. Use Get Transcript tool, Form 4506-T and Form 4506

How the VA can help with assistance: If you need assistance seeking medication or care from the VA in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, please call the Veterans Disaster Response Line at 1-800-507-4571.  Veterans requiring assistance in storm-affected areas may contact 1-800-639-5137.

How the Department of Agriculture can help ranchers and farmers: Ranchers and farmers whose family or small business is struggling due to the storm, can receive assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to receive financial assistance for damage to your home or farm property, food, or lost crops or livestock. Find out what aid is available to your family or business at the USDA’s Disaster Resource Center.

I Applied for Assistance, What's Next?

Small Business Administration Application: Some applications for disaster assistance require you to also submit an SBA application before we can determine your eligibility for assistance.  Learn more about the home and property disaster loan application.

Home Inspection: You will receive a call from FEMA within 10 days of submitting your application to schedule an appointment for a home inspector to visit you. In the event of a catastrophic disaster an inspector may take longer to visit you.

After the Inspection

If you qualify for a grant, FEMA will provide you:

• A check by mail or a direct deposit into your checking or savings account,
• A letter describing how you are to use the money.

If you do not qualify for a grant, FEMA will provide you:

• A letter explaining why you did not qualify, and
• An opportunity to appeal the decision.